TL: Moonlit
Xing Xing is still just a newly turned three-year-old toddler. Every night when Xing Xing goes to sleep, he is still a bit restless.
Whenever Xing Xing is halfway through his sleep and starts tossing and turning restlessly on the bed, Yu Bai would have to get up and prepare a full bottle of milk for Xing Xing. Xing Xing can only continue sleeping after sucking on the milk.
As a result, Xing Xing, who has sweet dreams throughout the night, wakes up earlier than Yu Bai every day.
But today is an exception.
The sunlight outside the window is just right. When Yu Bai woke up naturally and opened his eyes, Xing Xing lying beside him still had his eyes tightly closed. Xing Xing’s chubby little hand gripped the edge of the blanket as he slept soundly.
Yu Bai thought that Xing Xing was probably tired from greeting the guests yesterday afternoon, so he hadn’t woken up yet.
Yu Bai didn’t disturb Xing Xing, who was still sleeping. He got up quietly and left the bedroom.
After a quick wash in the bathroom, Yu Bai started preparing breakfast in the kitchen.
Compared to other toddlers his age, Xing Xing appears independent and capable.
When other toddlers wake up and don’t see their loved ones, they would cry loudly. But Xing Xing is different.
Xing Xing would obediently get up, wash up, and then sit in the living room, quietly waiting for Yu Bai to prepare breakfast.
Yu Bai felt reassured that Xing Xing was getting up and preparing breakfast himself.
Yu Bai made a simple breakfast. He fried two golden yellow pancakes, one large and one small, and cooked two bowls of small wontons. Yu Bai had made the wonton wrappers and filling himself during his free time two days ago.
When Yu Bai placed the breakfast on the coffee table in the living room, he noticed that there was still no sign of Xing Xing.
Yu Bai’s eyebrows slightly raised, sensing that something was off.
It was almost nine o’clock now, and Xing Xing still hadn’t woken up?
Yu Bai quickly walked to the bedroom.
On the thick cushion laid out on the floor, there was a “small hill” protruding.
Yu Bai approached the “small hill.”
Xing Xing, while asleep, buried his little head under the blanket, leaving only a raised little butt outside, resembling a “small hill” next to a “small mound.”
A mischievous smile appeared on the corner of Yu Bai’s lips.
He reached out his finger and lightly poked the soft “small mound.”
Both the “small hill” and “small mound” trembled for a moment but quickly returned to calmness.
Yu Bai poked it again.
“Xing Xing, wake up,” Yu Bai said. “The sun is shining on your butt!”
Yu Bai was right. When Yu Bai woke up, the sun was already high up in the sky, and its warm and gentle rays were evenly shining on Xing Xing’s little butt.
This time, Xing Xing, who was immersed in his dreams, was completely awakened by Yu Bai.
Xing Xing twisted his small body and buried his little butt in the blanket, but a plump and steamy little head emerged from the covers.
The silky strands of hair stuck to Xing Xing’s forehead.
Xing Xing groggily looked in Yu Bai’s direction, rubbing his eyes with his small paws.
“Okay, okay…”
Xing Xing’s voice, still sleepy, was as sweet and soft as a puddle of milk.
Xing Xing became slightly more awake, and he made an effort to wave his short arms, pulling back the blanket.
When Xing Xing’s feet touched the ground, his legs and feet were weak and soft. If it wasn’t for Yu Bai grabbing hold of him in time, Xing Xing would have almost fallen on his butt.
Xing Xing: “Oops.”
With his soft and plump little body, he leaned against Yu Bai’s leg.
“Are you still not awake?” Yu Bai squatted down and gently touched Xing Xing’s soft and tender little face. “Did I tire you out yesterday? If you’re still not awake, you can continue sleeping…”
“No, I’m not tired!” Xing Xing clapped his cheeks with his small hands, trying to open his round ink-black eyes wide. “I’m already awake!”
Xing Xing straightened his body and unsteadily supported himself with his shaky little legs, slowly moving toward the direction of the bathroom.
Since waking up today, Xing Xing seemed to have no strength. When he walked, it was as if he were a floating cotton ball, always on the verge of falling.
Xing Xing also had a much smaller appetite than the previous two days. During breakfast, he only nibbled half of a small egg pancake and didn’t want to eat anymore.
And during lunch, Xing Xing reluctantly managed to eat half a bowl of rice and a little bit of vegetables and a small piece of pork chop before setting down his chopsticks.
Yu Bai asked, “Are you full?”
Xing Xing wiped his mouth with a tissue. “Mm! I’m full!”
You see, yesterday morning, Xing Xing had devoured two large scallion pancakes! At lunch yesterday, Xing Xing even finished two small bowls of rice.
Yu Bai was surprised to see that Xing Xing only ate so little today.
“Is the food not tasty? Why are you eating so little?” Yu Bai asked.
Xing Xing shook his head repeatedly. “No, no! Dad’s cooking is really delicious! It’s just…”
Xing Xing patted his tummy with his small paw. “My tummy can’t handle so much food.”
Yu Bai’s eyebrows furrowed briefly, but without any hesitation, he reached out to touch Xing Xing’s forehead.
Xing Xing obediently sat on a small stool, his round ink-black eyes fixed on Yu Bai without blinking.
“Dad?” Xing Xing didn’t understand why Yu Bai was touching his head, so he touched his own head too.
Xing Xing’s appetite suddenly changed, and Yu Bai’s first thought was that there might be something wrong with Xing Xing’s body.
However, Xing Xing’s forehead didn’t feel hot when touched. His temperature seemed normal, similar to Yu Bai’s.
Yu Bai stood up and fetched a thermometer, taking Xing Xing’s temperature and finding it within the normal range for an infant.
Yu Bai asked, “Xing Xing, is there anywhere on your body that feels uncomfortable?”
“Uncomfortable places…” Xing Xing blinked his ink-black eyes and pursed his lips. “Hmm… none!”
Xing Xing asked, “Dad, why are you suddenly asking me this?”
Yu Bai squatted down, cupping Xing Xing’s small face in his hands. “You ate so little today, and I thought you might be sick. But Xing Xing, if you’re feeling unwell, you must tell me. You shouldn’t keep everything to yourself, you know?”
Xing Xing blinked his eyes again.
He only felt a little tired and his legs were a bit sore, but he felt the same yesterday, so it shouldn’t be considered feeling unwell, right?
Xing Xing nodded his small head. “I know! Dad, now the clock says 14, should we go out and set up a stall together?”
As Xing Xing spoke, he pointed to the lit-up screen of Yu Bai’s phone with his little finger.
On his phone screen, the number “14” was displayed.
Yu Bai hesitated.
These days, the weather had been quite cold. He was afraid Xing Xing might catch a chill, so he made sure to dress Xing Xing in multiple layers of clothing every day.
But accidents could happen, and if a gust of wind somehow managed to seep through Xing Xing’s clothes and make him catch a cold, that wouldn’t be good.
Moreover, Xing Xing woke up late today, walked unsteadily, and had eaten very little. It could be due to his weakened condition, so it was better for Xing Xing not to go out and face the wind.
While Yu Bai was contemplating whether to take Xing Xing to the community neighborhood committee, where the aunties and uncles who liked Xing Xing could help look after him, Xing Xing suddenly ran over to Yu Bai, pitter-pattering with his short little legs, and wrapped his arms around Yu Bai’s legs.
Xing Xing pouted with his pink lips, his round eyes shimmering with teary glimmers, his little face filled with unhappiness.
“Dad, don’t you want to take me out to set up a stall together?” Xing Xing accurately guessed what Yu Bai was thinking.
Yu Bai remained silent.
It wasn’t easy to deceive such a smart little one. It was truly a challenge to raise a child like him!
Xing Xing rubbed his small face against Yu Bai’s leg, his voice tinged with a hint of grievance. “But I want to be with Dad and set up a stall. Xing Xing doesn’t feel unwell at all. Dad, do you really not want Xing Xing to accompany you?”
Xing Xing lifted his little head, tears welling up in his eyes, resembling a pitiful little dog about to be abandoned, stirring a feeling of tenderness in anyone’s heart.
Yu Bai:…
Wuwuwu! He made Little Xing Xing sad! He’s guilty!
Yu Bai immediately said, “Okay, okay, you can continue to set up the stall with me today. But, Xing Xing, if you feel unwell while we’re at the stall, you must tell me right away, understand?”
Xing Xing stopped crying and smiled, revealing an adorable expression on his face.
“I understand!”
—
Yu Bai never wanted to suffer twice.
The previous day, he arrived late at Sanjiaokou and couldn’t grab a good stall location. Today, he arrived early and secured the best spot at Sanjiaokou.
Sanjiaokou was a designated public stall area in City J. Whoever arrived early had the privilege to occupy the better spots – that was the recognized “rule” among the stall owners at Sanjiaokou.
However, for the stall owners who had been operating at Sanjiaokou for many years, they had already established a reputation in this place. As long as their stall location wasn’t too bad, they would still receive the warm welcome of regular customers. Therefore, the stall location wasn’t as crucial for them.
Furthermore, the stall owners at Sanjiaokou discovered that even if they occupied the prime location at Sanjiaokou yesterday and forced the newcomer selling teppanyaki to the worst spot, it didn’t affect the newcomer’s business at all.
So today, the stall owners at Sanjiaokou no longer rushed to grab the good positions like the previous day.
However, Yu Bai’s strong competitiveness in selling teppanyaki would inevitably have some impact on the other stall owners at Sanjiaokou. They were reluctant to set up their stalls near Yu Bai and wished to keep their snack carts far away from him.
Only Yu Dong, who sold candied hawthorns, took the initiative to push his snack cart next to Yu Bai’s vacant space.
Yu Dong didn’t mind setting up his stall next to Yu Bai; he didn’t care if his business would be affected. Recently, the number of customers buying his candied hawthorns had been decreasing. From Yu Dong’s perspective, whether he set up his stall elsewhere or next to Yu Bai’s snack cart, the effect would be the same.
After exchanging greetings, Yu Dong and Yu Bai each began their preparations for opening their stalls.
Yu Bai arrived early today and started his stall early.
Just in time for the students from Qingqiao Elementary School to finish school, a long queue quickly formed in front of Yu Bai’s stall.
Yu Dong, on the side, looked at the line in front of Yu Bai’s teppanyaki stall, his eyes revealing a hint of envy – because since he started selling candied hawthorns, he hadn’t sold a single one.
While Yu Bai was selling teppanyaki, Xing Xing sat on a small stool and didn’t rest.
He was like a little spinning top, running back and forth behind Yu Bai.
Sometimes, Xing Xing helped Yu Bai hand out paper boxes and bags, and other times he stood next to the snack cart, informing the customers in the queue about the prices of tofu, rice cakes, and skewers. He was busy non-stop.
After the group of parents and elementary school students from Qingqiao Elementary School left, both Xing Xing and Yu Bai were exhausted and sat on the small stools, not wanting to get up.
Seeing Yu Bai and Xing Xing “exhausted” in their chairs, Yu Dong took out a strawberry candied hawthorn from the freezer and handed it to them.
Yu Dong smiled and said, “Let the child have a bite of the candied hawthorn to relieve fatigue.”
In the middle of winter, taking a bite of a sour, sweet, and beautifully presented strawberry candied hawthorn was indeed a refreshing treat for a young child.
Xing Xing’s round eyes lit up.
However, he didn’t reach out to take the strawberry candied hawthorn. Instead, he turned his little head and looked at Yu Bai.
Although Xing Xing had tried this uncle’s strawberry candied hawthorn yesterday and found it delicious, he was a well-behaved child and wouldn’t take the candied hawthorn without his dad’s permission.
“Thank you,” Yu Bai said, “Your candied hawthorns are ten yuan per skewer, right? Let me pay you…”
“No, no, no need,” Yu Dong said, “I don’t mind the ten yuan. This candied hawthorn is a free gift for the child!”
Yesterday, Xing Xing, who bought candied hawthorns from his stall, was well-behaved, polite, and sensible. He was the most adorable young child Yu Dong had ever seen.
Yu Dong also had two children at home. Although they had grown up and were now in high school, Yu Dong still liked young children.
In this era of pursuing fame and profit and intense competition, the innocence and naivety of young children were the most precious treasures in the world.
Seeing Yu Dong insisting, Yu Bai had no choice but to accept the strawberry candied hawthorn.
Just as Yu Dong took out the strawberry candied hawthorn, the syrup coating it was still hard. So, Yu Bai didn’t give the strawberry candied hawthorn to Xing Xing to eat.
Yu Bai put the strawberry candied hawthorn in a paper bag, intending to let it soften a bit before letting Xing Xing munch on it.
Yu Bai handed the paper bag with the strawberry candied hawthorn to Xing Xing’s chubby hand.
Protecting his food, Xing Xing tightly hugged the candied hawthorn in his chubby hand as he sat on the small stool.
After helping Yu Bai for a while, Xing Xing suddenly felt a bit tired and drowsy.
He sat on the small stool, and his little head slowly nodded off, as if falling asleep.
Seeing this, Yu Bai supported Xing Xing’s shoulder. Just as Yu Bai was about to stand up and let Xing Xing lie down on the makeshift bed made of two small stools, Yu Bai’s fingertips brushed against Xing Xing’s forehead.
The temperature of Xing Xing’s forehead was surprisingly hot.
Author’s Note:
PS: There will be N updates tomorrow. Please wait for me to write them slowly, one chapter at a time, orz.
